


when days are hot, when days are cool

by torigates



Category: Bones (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-11
Updated: 2013-11-11
Packaged: 2018-01-01 03:43:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,186
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1039942
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/torigates/pseuds/torigates
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“Can we go swimming?”</p>
            </blockquote>





	when days are hot, when days are cool

“Dad?” It was still relatively early on Saturday morning. Booth just finished making breakfast for Parker, and pulled out the sports section.

“Yeah, bud?” he asked, not looking up.

“Can we go swimming?”

Booth sighed and put down the newspaper. Parker was like a dog with a bone on the whole swimming thing. He wanted to go swimming immediately after Brennan had given them the key to her place, but Booth had to get him home to Rebecca. Parker had begged every day since then for Booth to take him swimming. “Right now?” Booth asked.

“Please, dad?” Except Parker didn’t say please like a normal person. Instead the word please was drawn out for several seconds.

“All right,” Booth said after a long pause. “Let me call Dr. Brennan, and if she says it’s okay then we can go.”

“Really? Thanks, dad!” Parker got up and started running around the apartment getting his bathing suit and towel, jumping up and down and singing a song about swimming.

“I haven’t called her yet,” Booth said weakly, but Parker ignored him. While Booth dialled Brennan’s number he mumbled under his breath about eight year olds who get too excited about things.

Booth hadn’t actually planned on taking Brennan up on her offer. He half thought she had just made it to help him out, and stop Parker from asking every woman Booth encountered if she wanted his father to ‘sex her up’ (Booth still couldn’t believe Parker had said that, and Rebecca definitely wasn’t pleased when she heard about the whole situation). “Hello?” Brennan’s voice on the other end of the phone brought Booth’s attention back to what he was doing.

“Bones, hey,” Booth said.

“Booth?” Brennan asked. “Is everything all right? Is there a case?”

“No, nothing like that,” Booth said. “I’m just watching Parker for the weekend, and he was wondering...” Booth trailed off.

“Yes?” Brennan asked.

Booth inwardly groaned. Brennan wasn’t going to make it easy for him. Not that she knew explicitly whether or not she was making things difficult or easy. That was just the way she was.

“He wants go to swimming, and he won’t leave me alone,” Booth finally managed.

“Oh!” Brennan said. “Of course you can come over. That’s why I gave you the key, Booth. You didn’t need to ask.”

“Well,” Booth paused. “It’s early and we don’t want to intrude. As long as you’re fine with it.”

“I’m actually just reviewing some journal articles,” Brennan said. “But you’re more than welcome to come over and use the pool.”

“All right,” Booth said. “If you’re sure it’s okay.”

“If it wasn’t fine, I wouldn’t say it was, Booth.”

It was just like Bones to completely disregard the big moments of their relationship. “Right,” Booth said. “We’ll see you in a bit.” He hung up the phone and looked over at Parker who was now doing a swimming dance to go along with his song. The kid really wanted to swim.

“Let’s go, buddy,” Booth called.

Parker was out the door before he was.

#

Booth let himself and Parker into the building, and called Brennan to let her know they were there.

“Have fun,” she told him.

“Wait,” Booth said. “You’re not going to come down with us?”

Booth could hear papers shuffling. “I told you, Booth, I’m reviewing journal articles.”

“But,” Booth hesitated. “Won’t it be weird, us swimming in your pool if you’re not there? What if someone says something?”

“You’re being completely irrational,” Brennan said. “Why would anyone care as long as you’re obeying the pool rules? Besides, I really have a lot of work to do today, Booth. Just have fun and I’ll talk to you later.”

“Wait, Bones,” he interjected before she hung up. “Please come down, please? You can bring your work and you won’t even know we’re here.”

Brennan sighed. “All right,” she said. “Though I don’t understand why this is necessary.”

“Thanks, Bones. I mean it,” he told her.

Booth hung up the phone and ushered Parker into the pool change rooms. He had to tell Parker more than once to slow down, Booth was afraid he was going to run out before he was fully in his bathing suit, trip and crack his head open on the concrete. Rebecca _really_ would kill him then.

“Don’t run!” Booth called fruitlessly after Parker once he had okayed him for swimming. At least they weren’t at the beach—Booth didn’t think either of them could survive the time it would take to put on sunscreen.

Booth watched as Parker slowed to a walk for exactly half a pace before sprinting into the water.

“Did you see that?” Parker asked excitedly once he had emerged from the water.

“I sure did,” Booth told him. “That was amazing!”

Parker grinned and continued to splash in the water. Booth watched him for several moments, his son.

“Dad,” Parker called. “Come on!”

Booth grinned. “Are you ready for this?” Parker squealed as Booth jumped into the water, creating waves that splashed everywhere.

#

Brennan didn’t think it was possible for one man and one child to make that much noise. She heard squeals and splashes as she approached the pool. Maybe it was a good thing Booth asked her to join them. She didn’t think any of the other tenants would be bothered, but she should be there in case they were. Besides, she brought her work along like Booth suggested. She was just being social.

“Throw me again, dad!” Parker called.

Booth stood in the shallow end of the pool and shook his head. Brennan saw water go flying in all directions.

“Again?” Booth asked. Brennan surmised that the note of incredulousness in his voice was exaggerated for Parker’s benefit. “Are you sure about that?”

Parker giggled. “Again,” he said drawing out the word.

“All right,” Booth said. “Get ready.” He crouched slightly his hands under the water, and Parker swam up right next to his father.

“One,” Booth said and Parker put his hands on Booth’s shoulders. “Two,” Parker was still laughing. Brennan wasn’t sure what was going to happen next. “Three, go!” While the first two counts had been slow and drawn out, the last two were rush and almost blurred together. Suddenly Booth stood up right, his hands up in the air, and Parker went flying. Brennan saw that Parker had been standing on Booth’s hands only moments before.

He came up laughing. “Again, dad!”

Booth flopped back into the water. “Too tired,” he said. Brennan noted again that Booth was using extreme hyperbole.

“Again, again!” Parker chanted.

“Why don’t you throw me this time?” Booth asked. He ran his hand through his hair causing it to stand upright in numerous directions.

Parker squealed and giggled. “ _Dad_ ,” he said. “You’re too heavy.”

“I’m too heavy? Come here!” Booth immediately chased after his son, and Brennan noted that even though Booth was a grown man, clearly capable of catching an eight year old, he always stayed a few strokes behind. She smiled and sat down at a table, the journal articles in front of her, untouched.

Brennan went unnoticed for several minutes. It was Parker who finally noticed her.

Booth was facing away from her, and Brennan couldn’t help but admire his back and shoulders. “Come here, you!” Booth laughed, and threw Parker over his shoulder.

“Hi, Bones!” Parker shouted when he looked up. Brennan waved.

Booth turned around, Parker still draped over him. A wide grin broke out on his face. “Bones!” he shouted. “Get in here!”

Brennan laughed and shook her head. “I’m working,” she said gesturing toward her papers.

Booth dropped Parker into the water and waited until he resurfaced. “Does it look like she’s working, Parks?” he asked.

“No!” Parker shouted, still giggling.

Booth looked contemplative for a moment. “Should we go bother her?” he asked.

“Yes!” Parker squealed and bounced up and down in the water splashing his father. Booth growled, picked him up and tossed him effortlessly into the water. Parker was still laughing.

Brennan watched her partner and his son, both of their attention completely on each other. Brennan couldn’t help but smile; this wasn’t a side of Booth she got to see often. In the four years they had been working together, Booth had relaxed a lot. So had Brennan. But it was rare for her to see him like this—completely at ease, comfortable. Happy.

They raced over to the edge closest to Brennan. She noticed again that Booth allowed Parker to beat him. As a child, her father would have never done the same for her. So much had changed. They had all learned a lot.

“Where’s your bathing suit?” Parker asked.

Brennan turned her attention back to them, and couldn’t help but smile. Parker had his elbows on the pool deck, and his chin resting on his hands. Unconsciously or not, Booth was in the exact same position.

“Yeah, Bones,” he grinned, his charm smile. “Where’s your bathing suit?”

“I don’t have a bathing suit,” Brennan told them.

“Why not?” Parker asked.

“I don’t have time to swim,” Brennan said.

“But you have a pool!” Parker exclaimed, unable to believe what she was saying.

“Work keeps me very busy,” she said and picked up several of the papers she had brought with her to show him. “I don’t often get free time between my duties at the Jeffersonian and the various cases I work on with your dad.”

Parker seemed to consider this seriously. “What about when you go on vacation?” he asked.

“I often use my vacations to go help identify remains in other countries. That doesn’t give me the opportunity to go swimming.”

“But vacations are supposed to be fun.” Parker looked unreasonably saddened by this. It wasn’t rational.

“What about when you went to the beach with Russ and his girls?” Booth asked a smirk on his face. “I know you went swimming then.”

Brennan glared. Booth continued to smile.

A slow smile spread over Parker’s face. Brennan couldn’t help but notice how similar he was to his father. “So you can come swimming!” Parked exclaimed. “Please, Bones.”

“I wouldn’t want to interrupt the time you have with your father,” Brennan told him. “I’m sure you’d much rather spend your time with him.”

Booth smiled at her, one of the smiles that let her know she had said something right.

Parker, unaware of what was passing between the adults, continued to beg. “We can all swim together! Please, please, please.”

Brennan looked at Booth, unsure how to answer. Booth laughed. “This is exactly how he got me to take him here in the first place,” Booth told her. “The kid really loves swimming. There’s no stopping him when he sets his mind to something.”

Brennan hesitated a moment longer, suddenly shy. She had spent some time with Parker during her partnership with Booth. It was unavoidable given the increasing amount of time they spent together over the years. Not that she specifically wanted to avoid spending time with Booth when he was with Parker. She had merely always considered that as private time for Booth and his son. Something she shouldn’t intrude in on.

“Come on, Bones,” Booth told her, the same grin still in place. “Live a little, you might actually have fun.”

Brennan concluded that they would simply keep asking her until she eventually gave in. Logically it made sense to agree, if only to please Parker. He was clearly set on her swimming, and Brennan didn’t want to let him down.

“All right,” she said standing. “Let me go change.”

“Hooray!” Parker exclaimed gleefully. “Throw me again, dad!”

She head Booth chuckle as she exited the pool area.

#

This time, Booth heard when Brennan entered the pool deck. Mostly because he was supposed to be timing how long Parker could hold his breath under water.

He turned around to face her, and stared open mouthed. “Uh, hey,” he said.

Brennan gripped the towel she had grabbed in front of her stomach, in a self-conscious movement. Before she had a chance to say anything else, Parker’s head broke through the surface.

“How long was that?” he gasped.

Booth turned around to face him. “Twenty-seven seconds,” he said.

“Is that all?” Parker asked. “It seemed so much longer! Again, dad!” he sucked in a huge mouthful of air and plunged under the water again.

“What’s he doing?” Brennan asked, turning her back on him.

“Holding his breath,” Booth replied. He watched her as she shuffled a few of the papers she had left on the table, and lay out the towel over a pool chair. He admired the long curve of her spine, and the dip in her back, just above her bathing suit bottom.

“Is that safe?” Brennan asked over her shoulder. Booth quickly averted his eyes.

“He can barely hold his breath for thirty seconds,” Booth told her. “He’ll be fine. Besides, I’m right here.” He continued to watch her for a few more seconds. “Are you going to come in the water?” he asked.

Parker’s head popped up once more. “How long was that?” he asked panting.

“Twenty-four seconds,” Booth said.

Parker groaned. “Let me try again.”

“Not so fast,” Booth said, holding on to Parker’s shoulder. “Take a breath for a minute, then you can try again.”

Booth watched Brennan from the corner of his eye. She walked to the edge of the pool and stopped.

“Bones!” Parker exclaimed when he finally noticed her. “Are you coming in the water?”

“Yeah, Bones,” Booth echoed, a hint of amusement in his voice. “Are you coming in the water?”

Brennan stared at them for a moment as she approached the edge of the pool.

“Jump!” Parker squealed, jumping up and down himself in the water.

Brennan hesitated. “Is it cold?” she asked.

“Aw, Bones,” Booth groaned. “Don’t be a baby. Get your butt in the water.”

“Jump, jump!” Parker chanted.

Brennan took a deep breath and jumped. A moment later she came up sputtering. “It _is_ cold!”

Booth turned to his son. “I’m not cold, are you cold?”

“No!” Parker yelled happily.

“See, Bones, it’s just you.”

Brennan glared at him, and then splashed him. Parker laughed. Booth stared at her in disbelief. “Did you just splash me?” he asked.

Brennan got a mischievous look that Booth rarely saw on her face and splashed him again. Parker joined in.

“Oh, that’s it!” Booth yelled. “You two are going to get it.”

#

By the time that Parker had finally had his fill of swimming, Booth’s fingers and toes were completely wrinkled up. Parker was looking at the fake plants surrounding the pool area. From the way he was sneaking around, Booth thought he was probably playing some kind of jungle explorer game.

“Thanks for inviting us over,” Booth said after they had changed out of their bathing suits. “I know Parker really had a great time,” he paused and smiled. “So did I.”

“You’re welcome,” Brennan said. “I think this is the first time I’ve actually used the pool.”

Booth shook his head. “That doesn’t surprise me,” he told her. “I’m glad you got to use it.”

Brennan smiled back at him. “Why,” she paused for a moment. “Why don’t I make you and Parker dinner?” she asked. She looked down avoiding eye contact. “Unless you have to get home.”

“Nope,” he said. “Nowhere to be,” he paused. “Are you sure?” he gestured to the pile of papers in her hands. “What about your work?”

Brennan waved him off. “It can wait.”

Booth smiled, surprised. Parker chatted at them the entire elevator ride up, about school and his friends, and Angela and how she was so cool and could paint faces, and did Booth think that she could help with his Halloween costume? Booth said he’d ask.

Inside Brennan’s apartment, Booth put their swimming bag down just inside the door and helped Parker with his shoes and coat.

Brennan walked briskly into the other room and came out with a few colouring books. “I understand it’s not socially acceptable for young boys to be play with the same toys as girls, by my nieces left these here,” Brennan said hesitantly, holding them out to Parker. “You can use them if you’d like.”

“Thanks, Bones!” Parker said, snatching them from her grip. He ran into the other room.

“Don’t run,” Booth called weakly after him, and chuckled. “I don’t know where that kid gets all his energy.”

“He gets his manners from you,” Brennan said, before heading into the kitchen. Booth followed her.

“Thanks, Bones,” he said. “I think.”

#

Brennan began rummaging around the kitchen, watching Booth out of the corner of her eye. He was lounging against her counter, and she couldn’t help but think how natural it was to have Booth there, in her home. He snorted softly, and Brennan turned to face him. “What?” she asked.

Booth shook his head. “It’s nothing,” he said. Brennan continued to watch him. She had learned if she remained silent, Booth would finally give in and tell her what he was thinking. “It’s just,” he broke off again. “I was just thinking of the first time I came to your apartment.”

“You got blown up,” Brennan said. “I fail to see what’s amusing about that.”

Booth shook his head, still chuckling softly under his breath. “Nothing is funny about it, I guess. I was just thinking about how much had changed since then.”

“And that amuses you?” Brennan asked still not understanding. She began to pull several ingredients out of her cupboards.

“It’s not ‘ha ha’ funny, Bones,” he told her, arms crossed against his chest. Brennan noticed again how that pose highlighted the definition of his shoulders. “More like ‘huh’ funny.”

“I don’t know what that means,” she said turning away from him and back to the food.

“It’s just an observation,” he said.

Brennan didn’t respond. Booth watched her as she cooked.

“What are you making?” he asked.

“Spaghetti,” she said. “I know it’s not much—”

“It’s great,” he said. “Thanks, Bones.”

“You’re welcome,” she told him.

“Is dinner ready?” Parker called from the other room. “I’m hungry.” The last word was drawn out in a long whine.

Booth walked out to where Parker was colouring. Brennan followed to the edge of her kitchen, leaning against the door frame. “Don’t you know it’s rude to whine when you’re a guest?” Booth asked him.

“It’s just Bones, dad,” Parker said seriously.

Booth looked over his shoulder to where Brennan was standing. She couldn’t read his look, but it made her feel... happy. Like they belonged, and she belonged there with them.

“Come here, you,” Booth said and picked Parker up, tickling him.

Parker shrieked and laughed. “Stop it!” he exclaimed, “Daddy, stop!”

Brennan turned back to the kitchen to serve the food. Booth’s voice drifted in from the other room. “Go wash up,” he said.

Maybe she understood a little better what Booth had meant. A lot of things had changed. She thought maybe a lot was going to change still.


End file.
